Oscae hammeestein



(No Model.)

0. HAMMERSTEIN.

ART OF FORMING LONG PILLINGS FOR CIGARS.

No. 367,906. Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

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ATTORNEY UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

ART OF FORMING LONG FILLINGS FOR CIGARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,906, dated August 9, 1887.

Application filed January '7. 1887. Serial No. 223,659. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knowni that I, OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Art of Forming- Long Fillings for Cigars, of which the follow ing is such a full, clear, concise, and exact description as will enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make use of and practice the same.

-My invention relates to that classof cigars known as long filler cigars, in which the tobacco composing this filling runs from end to end of the cigar without being made of what are-known as scraps or clippings, used only for short-filler cigars.

It has heretofore been proposed to form the fillings for cigars by the deposit of tobacco upon a table or board provided with grooves or slots, which permit of acutter passing through the tobaccoand severing it into lengths marked by such slots; and it has also been customary to use cutting devices of different kinds for the purpose of parting or dividing the tobacco into forms and sizes. In such cases, however, the tobacco has been placed upon a receptacle for holding it without any special reference to its arrangement, and because of the unevenness of the leaves some portions are heavier or thicker thanothers. Consequently fillings cut from tobacco arranged in such a manner are not of uniform thickness, nor are the several fillings of equal size and weight; but uniformity of thickness and weight is an important if not an indispensable requisite in the manufacture of cigars, becausing the smoking qualities are judged to a great extent by the evenness with which the cigar burns. In fact, the burning qualities of the cigar have almost as much to a uniform size, while at the same time I secure expedition in the formation of the same. To these ends the invention consists in arranging, or arranging and compacting, the tobacco in such manner that any desired number of fillings may be cut therefrom, and, having so arranged the same, in then cutting it so that the fillings are readily obtainable.

In practicing my invention I may make use of any suitable device for holding or retaining the tobacco while being cut, but I preferably employ one or more troughs, as shown in Fignrel of the drawings. This figure is a perspective view of a board, A, having dovetail grooves a, 'into which-partitions B, having corresponding dovetails, b, slide, thus forming troughs 0, into which the tobacco, D, is placed and compacted. Each of the troughs is of about the width of a single filling, but made long enough topern'iitof a number of fillings being cut from the tobaccoin the direction of its length. In this figure one trough is shown as having its complement of tobacco packed or crowded therein. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of thetobaceo taken lengthwise thereof on the line a: re of Fig; 1.. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of astamp or die, E, of suitable form tocut the fillings, and'which is shown as, say, onefourth the length of the troughsin Fig. 1, thus making the tobacco in the example shown long enough to permit the cutting of four fillings therefrom. Fig. 4 is an enlarged or full-sized view of a filling, F, cut from the tobacco contained in the troughs.

In practice I prefer to make the troughs or receptacle for containing the tobacco several feet in length, in order that the arrangement of the tobacco and the cutting of the fillings may be more expeditious. I likewise prefer to have several troughs, which may be upon a single board, so that they may all be filled with tobacco before the cutting takes of my invention.

Having provided myselfwith a suitable tobacco-retaining device, I take the leaves, or such parts thereof as it may be desired to use for filler purposes, and arrange the same thereon or therein in layers, each layer being composed of two or more leaves or strips, or parts of leaves, having their ends abutting or overfiapping each other. lVhen one layer is thus formed, I make a second layer in like manner, but place it so that the center or body of the leaves composing the same come over the ends or joints of those which form the first layer, and in the same manner all the layers necessary to secure the requisite thickness are formed and disposed so that each layer is made to break joints with the ones which are adjacent thereto. \Vhile thus forming the layers, or after they are so formed, the to bacco is crowded or compacted upon or within the receptacle or trough, so that it is made suiliciently solid to permit of cutting. This is accomplished by sufficiently squeezing the leaves with the hands as they are laid within the trough or receptacle in layers, thus making them narrow enough to enter the allotted space, and when one layer is so made and pressed down to the bottom of the trough another is formed in the same way, but disposed so as to break joints with the first when it is pressed down upon the one before it, and so on with each successive layer. If one side of a trough when used be removed, the tobacco-leaves may be laid flat in layers, break ing joints as before, and when a sufficicnt number of such leaves have been so placed the entire body may be moved either with the hands or with a board or strip toward the rcmaining upright or side of the trough and compressed or compacted by being crowded against it until the removed portion of the trough be inserted or brought into place. So, also, the crowding or compacting may be effectcd between two strips or boards, which, being either tied or held together, permit of a transfer ofthe tobacco from a table or board upon which it is first placed to the trough or receptacle where it is to be cut into fillings. hen the tobacco is so arranged and sufiieiently compressed or compacted, I take a suitable cutter, preferably a stamp or die of to do the work of cutting without mangling or unnecessarily tearing or breaking the leaves. Of course the sharper the edges of such die are made the more easily will it be to do the cutting properly and with expedition. As the sections of tobacco are cut the die is lifted, leaving them to be afterward taken up, and they only need a slight pressure to give the shape required for the reception of a binder and wrapper, which pressure may be given while picking them up after being so cut.

\Vhen the cutting is done, the sections of tobacco or fillings may be removed either by taking out the sides of the troughs or otherwise, as may be found convenient with the form of tobacco-retaining receptacle employed.

The cutting device ought to be of such form as adapts itto do the work with rapidity; but it is not essential thatthe same should be a stamp or die like the one shown, as other outting-iustruments might be used with advantage when the tobacco is arranged in layers which break joints. as before explained, because such arrangement secures the necessary uniformity in thickness. By using a die or stamp, however, the requisite shape of the filling may be given during the act of cutting without subsequent manipulation.

The method of arranging and cutting the tobacco herein explained enables me not only to prepare the fillings ready for receiving the binder and wrapper, but the work is performed more expeditiously and with greater uniformity in thickness and size than has heretofore been possible in the ordinary way.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and dcsi re to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The improvement in the art of forming long fillings for cigars, which consists in arranging the tobacco in layers composed of two or more strips or leaves having their ends abutting or overlapping each other, the several layers being made to break joints with the ones adjacent thereto, and in cutting the tobacco so arranged in parts of the desired length, whereby fillings are obtained therefrom, substantially as set forth.

2. The improvement in the art of forming long fillings for cigars, which consists in arranging the tobacco in layers composed of two or more strips or leaves having their ends abutting or overlapping each other, the sevcral layers being made to break joints with the ones adjacent thereto, compacting the tobacco composing such layers, and cutting or stamping the same in pa rts adapted to form the [illings, substantially as set forth.

OSCAR lIAllIill'hlRS'llElN.

\Vi tn esses:

IIUnnn'r A. BANNING, \VM. B. BOOKS'IFAVER. 

